


The In Between

by demonjeans



Category: Professional Wrestling, World Wrestling Entertainment
Genre: Alternate Universe - Afterlife, Angst, Dark Comedy, M/M, slight romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-21
Updated: 2016-10-21
Packaged: 2018-08-23 19:49:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,549
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8340415
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/demonjeans/pseuds/demonjeans
Summary: Seth wasn't prepared to die. But he was gone and that was that. Bring on the pearly gates and angels. Except the afterlife had other plans for him. A job.





	

This is not what Seth expected. Where were the fluffy clouds? The angels playing harps? This place felt clinical. An expanse of white hallways, a directory board in the main hall that made no sense. He hit his head and knocked himself out, embarrassing not fatal. But there’s this guy in a white suit introducing himself as Kane giving him this awkward sorta overly polite smile and handing Seth his “file”. 

“It takes time to digest and that’s understandable. There are orientation times listed on the pamphlet inside your file.”

“Orientation?” Seth opens the folder, right on the top is a glossy handout with the words ‘ _The Afterlife and What That Means For You_ ’ written across the front cover. 

“This is… Am I- Am I really dead?”

Kane nods, his smile turning apologetic. “Think of this place as a brand new opportunity. Go to an orientation, they’ll settle you in.”

He’s lead into a large ballroom area full of people. Some excited, some fearful, some bored. Kane pats him on the shoulder and wishes him good luck leaving Seth more confused than when he started. This had to be some kind of dream.

Seth opens his file and there he is, his whole life in bullet points. Childhood memories, teenage traumas and highlights, self discovery in his twenties. Then onto his family, friendships, and romantic relationships. Everything straight to the point on his feeling towards them, things he’d never say in a million years but sure as hell thought, all listed out on the file. The last page is a flat out analysis on Seth, who he is, flaws and virtues. He skims the first few lines then closes the file. It’s way too much all at once.

“Rollins, Seth!” A women’s voice calls out across the room.

A blonde woman sits behind a desk waiting for him. Her white outfit fitted to perfection her hair to the same extent with not a single strand out of place. She looks at him then at the screen on her desk.

“Seth Rollins. Head trauma.” She says in a stern Russian accent, hums to herself eyeing the screen. “No discernable skills…”

“Excuse me?” Seth gawks at her at her but she continues on unfazed.

“Prayer Center.” She taps at the screen and a small stack of papers comes into existence on her desk. “Your room number and location are on the first page, don’t get lost. You’ll be expected at the Prayer Center, a map is included. Any questions?”

“Yea… I don’t know what any of that means.”

“Were you paying attention during orientation?”

“I didn’t have one. Uh, I just showed up and you called my name.”

She sighs, annoyed. “Well, consider yourself lucky to be called early.”

“I still don’t understand. What’s the Prayer Center?”

She taps her nails on the desk. “Go there and they’ll explain it to you.”

Before he can argue she thrusts the papers at him and calls the next name in line. He exits the ballroom glancing at the map taking a few steps toward the direction of the Prayer Center then stops. What the hell is he doing? And where is he exactly because this sure didn’t seem like Heaven. It didn’t necessarily feel like Hell either, no sign of fire or agonized screams.

Maybe he was in a coma. Or Limbo. Same difference.

Seth looks at the map again, the Prayer Center highlighted and waiting for him. If he wanted answers that’s where he needed to go. Maybe he’d be lucky and wake up before he reaches the place. 

A call center. That’s what it was.

Rows and rows of cubicles stretched out as far as the eye could see. Phones constantly ringing and the white noise of chatter filling the space. He glances around hoping to figure out where he supposed to go when a man approaches him.

“Seth Rollins?” He asks and Seth nods. “Was told you’d be arriving. I’m Roman, team leader.” 

Roman holds his hand out which Seth completely fumbles in shaking still looking around at the place. 

“You alright?” The other man asks. 

“Uh, yea. I got told to come here but I don’t…” He sighs, gripping his ‘file’ tightly in his hands. “I have no fucking clue what’s going on, help?”

Roman quirks an eyebrow. “What do you mean?”

“I just found out I was dead like… a couple hours ago. And honestly I'm kinda expecting to wake up but I’m still here and, uh- What is this place?”

“No one’s told you? No mind numbing orientation movie?”

“Computer error.” Seth shrugs. “It skipped me.”

He exhales crossing his arms. “Ok then, let’s go to my office.”

“You in charge of this place?”

“Not all of it, just a subsection.”

“Looks like a call center.” He says as Roman leads them through an aisles of cubicles.

“It basically is, a little different but you’ll see.”

Roman’s office is small and makes no sense. Three walls and giant window with a gorgeous view of the sky. In the sky, about forty thousand feet up.

“Are we… Is that real?” Seth asks.

“Yes and no. It shows Earth in real time but we’re not there.”

“Ok, so, where are we?”

Roman takes and a seat and Seth does the same. “It’s the In Between. Not Earth. Not Heaven.”

He thinks of all the tiny cubicles outside, that this is where he was sent. “...Is this like Purgatory?”

Roman smiles and shakes his head. “Nah, you can leave for Heaven tomorrow if you wanted but the higher ups thought you’d be useful here. That’s why you woke up here.”

“So,uh...” He trails off looking down at the folder in his hands. “So I’m not dreaming?”

Another sympathetic look and Seth knows the answer. “Did you read your file?”

“Skimmed it.”

“Cause of death will be the last thing listed.”

He opens it to the last page and notices a few lines underneath the personality analysis. 

Cause of Death: Head Trauma. Fractured Skull. Blood Loss.

“...Oh.” He says quietly, reading the words again. Double checking. Triple checking.

He’s dead.

“If you need to take some time-”

“You said I’d be useful here.” Seth cuts in, needs the distraction. “Taking calls? Why’d I get sent here?”

Roman crosses his arms settling into his chair. “Think about a time when you prayed and the follow up after. Either the next thought you had or action you did. We may have had a hand in that. The calls you’ll get are prayers and your job will be to give them a helpful nudge. They can’t hear you really, you’re a thought in their head and there’s no guarantee they’ll listen. All you can do is try.”

For a minute Seth just stares blankly at him. “...Pretty sure I’m not qualified for that, like at all.” 

“Well you were sent here so clearly someone thinks you are.”

“She told me I had no skills.”

Roman breathes out a laugh. “Lana. She’s… she’s something. Look, try this for a day or two. If it doesn’t work out you’ll know where to go.”

Seth looks past him at the sky, the world now out of reach. 

He blinks and refocuses on Roman. “...Yea, ok.”

“Great.” He smiles. “Seeing as there was a bit of a mix up I’ll set you up with one of our best responders.”

One of their best responders. Like this day couldn’t get more frustrating and confusing then he meets Dean Ambrose. Looks at Seth like he’s sizing him up, chuckling at the story Roman gives him about Seth’s arrival. Then smirks at him the second Roman turns away. Dean points at the cubicle beside his and gives Seth instructions that are pretty straight forward and not all that helpful.

“Listen to their prayers. Think. Give it your best shot and don’t fuck up.”

“That’s it? Seriously?”

“Just gotta dive right in. It’s the only way, you know?”

So Seth takes his first “call”. He’s falling into a daydream or something that feels like one but isn’t. It’s so personal, bombarded with this person’s life and emotions in seconds. They’re crying, praying they have enough gas to make it to the next town. Seth isn’t quite sure what to say, he mumbles something reassuring and hangs up.

Seth pushes back in his chair looking over to Dean. “What the fuck was that?”

“What?”

“I saw- I felt them.”

“That’s what I meant by think. You’re gonna get a glimpse into them to help you figure out what to say.”

“Could’ve told me.” He scowls and Dean laughs.

“Sorry. Been at this for a while, forgot what the first day can be like. Anyway, now you know.”

Seth isn’t all that eager to get to the next prayer, however. “How long have you been here?”

Dean glances up toward the ceiling, thinking. “Died in ‘98. So… a while.” 

Eighteen years. Nearly two decades of taking prayers when the offer to go to Heaven is always there. Why would Dean stay here this long? He’s about to ask when Dean’s phone rings, Seth turns back to his desk and listens to the next call. 

Now that he knows what to expect calls are semi easier though Seth is still basically giving answers on the fly. He kind of amazed at how many lottery prayers there are but at least those buffer the heavier ones. So far it’s not too bad, keeps his mind busy and off why he’s here in the first place. Until the next prayer leaves him shaking.

More crying and it sounds like they’re begging not praying. They’re dying and it’s not in some hospital bed or something that was a known eventual certainty. They’re bleeding and they’re cold. What the fuck can he do to help them? He does the best he can and hopes that they can hear him through the noise in their head. 

Seth pushes his chair so hard away from his desk he smacks into the wall behind him. Crosses his arms tightly not even bothering to look at Dean. “I don’t think I can do this.”

He expects Dean to tell him to deal with it or leave. That people dying are a part of it and Seth understands that. But Dean doesn’t say either of those things instead he sounds as though he actually cares.

“What happened?” Dean asks in a soft voice that makes him look up.

“They were dying, bleeding out. The hell am I supposed to say to them?”

“That they’ll be ok.”

“But they’re not.”

“They will be.” 

Again Seth remembers where he is and gives a little nod.

Dean seems to read his unease, decides to forge ahead. “So, how’d you die?”

“Isn’t that a little personal?”

“Eh, everyone’s dead. We all ended up here somehow. Yea, some people keep it secret but who gives a fuck? Me, for example, I got hit by a bus.”

“No way.”

Dean claps his hands together. “Splat. That’s why you’re supposed to look both ways.”

“How do you not see a bus?”

“I was too inside my head at the time, wasn’t paying attention.”

“That’s really…”

“It’s fucked up, but it’s pretty damn funny looking back. I mean, I probably traumatized some people but, man, what a way to go.” He grins and Seth can’t help do the same.

He glances at his file, his cause of death. “I might I have you beat.”

“Oh? Think so?”

“They left out a detail in my file. I cracked my skull ‘cause I tripped… over my dog. He’s a tiny little terrier and he ran in front of me and I didn’t wanna kick him so I fell and slammed my head into the kitchen counter.”

Dean stares completely slack-jawed then quickly slaps a hand over his mouth, laughter overtaking him. Seth joins in a moment later because it’s so ridiculous and he knows it. Out of all the ways to die he trips over his fucking dog. 

“I really hope he’s ok, actually.” Seth says catching his breath.

“Maybe he started eating your eyes. Or is that cats?”

“It’s only been a day!” And they’re both laughing again.

The rest of the day goes fairly well. He and Dean chat back and forth throughout. It’s nice. Like he isn’t dead but continuing some new life. Was that why Dean’s been here so long?

So he asks.

“How come you haven't gone to Heaven?” 

“I like it here.” Dean stretches out in his chair, standing up and mostly avoiding the question. “Anyway, we’re done for the day.”

“Who takes the prayers when we leave?”

“Night shift. You know where your room is?”

“Uh, she gave me a map.” Seth grabs his file opening it to the first page. “Wherever this is.”

Dean glances down at the paper. “I know the area, live close by. Can take you if you want.”

The place feels like a maze but Dean navigates it easily enough, pointing things out as they go. There’s a lot to absorb and half of what Dean’s telling him goes in one ear and out the other. Still, it’s the first time all day he doesn’t feel lost even though he has no clue where the hell they’re going. Maybe it’s how casually Dean’s treating him, though they did share each other’s deaths. Maybe he’s just happy not to be alone.

“So are rooms just… like apartments?” Seth asks as they walk down the hallway. The doors on either side of his given room are mere feet away. “Seems sorta small.”

“It’s kinda like a meditation space.” Dean answers. “‘Cause we don’t really need to sleep, it’s a habit. Let your mind go and create the place you want.”

“What’s to stop someone from getting lost in there?”

“Nothing. You spend too long in your room they send you to Heaven. Least that’s what I’ve heard.”

Seth gives a quiet hum of understanding. “Guess I’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“See ya later, dog boy.” Dean grins.

Seth is left staring while the other man walks away. Really hopes the nickname doesn’t stick as he enters his room. It’s bare. There’s a bed that at least looks comfortable but there’s nothing else. Seth thinks of Dean’s words and sits on the bed.

He shuts his eyes unsure if it’ll help or not. He sighs, thinks of his little apartment. He’s dreamed of moving up to something bigger for years but right now all Seth wants is his unkempt one bedroom where the the only thing going for it was a great view of the city. When Seth opens his eyes he’s there, everything just the way he remembers. Walks out to the main room and stands at the windows looking out. The city lights look beautiful as always and he wonders what he’d be doing if he was still part of it. 

He is in some way. Might even be closer than he ever has been. It’s all so overwhelming he can barely handle it. This is his new life. Afterlife. And while his first day had been a bit intense he’s intrigued. He had eternity to find out what Heaven was like, why not stick around a while and see what happens?


End file.
